


The Friendship of Dori and Bel

by ThoughtfulBreadPolice



Series: The Deep Well [2]
Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Female Bilbo Baggins, Female Dori, Friendship, Gen, Tea, Whatthemeepever is an enabler, respectability
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-22
Updated: 2020-06-22
Packaged: 2021-03-04 04:34:48
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 438
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24867673
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThoughtfulBreadPolice/pseuds/ThoughtfulBreadPolice
Summary: The friendship of Dori and Bel did in fact grow upon a cup of tea; but is was not the tea that built the foundations of it.
Relationships: Bilbo Baggins & Dori
Series: The Deep Well [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1787800
Comments: 3
Kudos: 48





	The Friendship of Dori and Bel

**Author's Note:**

> A very short little one shot about Dori and Bel and why they are the closest of friends.

The friendship of Dori and Bel did in fact grow upon a cup of tea; as many would often say; but it was not the tea which built the foundations of it, though they are more than happy to allow people to think it so, and it is not perhaps the whole truth, but it is a truth, and that is all anyone would ever really need to know of the matter.

However if one were to ask; as Thorin did in the deep winter that followed on the heels of the reclamation; and you were trusted enough; as Thorin was; you would learn that it was never really about the tea at all.

Dori, who had grown up poor, and nearly destitute with two younger brothers, and all of them with different fathers, had to fight her way to some measure of respectability amongst her peers; and then fight to keep it from those who wished for nothing more than those of Dori’s ilk to, if not removed all together, then remain on the fringes where they would not bother the good, decent folk of polite society.

Bel of course, had come from a far different walk of life, and while many would say; ‘you can be friends with anyone’, their friendship was not born from being opposite; though truly, they were opposite of one another in many ways.

Bel, had been born to a mother and father of deep wealth and deep connections. She, as their daughter, had been placed as the centerpiece of polite society. ‘Do this’ they would say. ‘Do that. Stand up straight; smile’; and on and on and on it would go, when all the while they would sneer and mock behind soft delicate hands. ‘Unrespectable; uncouth; too wild to do much with after all’; and Bel who would lose her parents young, and would lose most everything thereafter, would fight to gain some measure of the respectability, the dignity, her peers demanded and refused to give.

Dignity. As though it was something they had to earn, and whatever they did, it was never good enough.

So we come then, to the true heart of the matter, that over a cup of truly splendid tea, they saw within one another, a kindred spirit.

Bel saw within Dori her need for that measure of respectability; the drive to bring her and her brothers up, out of the dirt. She saw why her friend clung so tightly to that veneer, and understood it.

Dori, Dori saw in Bel the same hurt and the same ache; saw why Bel made herself stop caring, and understood.


End file.
